Michelangelo Attribution at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Photo: Telegraph

Great post by CultureGrrl on a daft attribution of a sculpture to Michelangelo.  It raises questions about curatorial responsibility.  Everyone is free to assert an attribution, but when a museum label claims a work for a certain artist it lends institutional authority to the claim.  It's misleading to the public when a work is so contested, and it's especially problematic with loaned works that may subsequently be sold.  Explaining the debate is the safer course, and it is more respectful of the visiting public to engage us in the discussion rather than hiding the dispute.